Chapter-12
Nearly two years later three shining blurs race through the tree tops of the Ilex forest. Needless to say it was Soul, Heart and I- Sage, rushing through the forest and celebrating the completion of our intermediate school years. We were now nearly 10 years old, that's right we would soon be able to head off on our own Pokémon Trainer journey. I didn't know the exact details about this before but apparently this journey was a special rite of passage for all people in this world and it was even considered somewhat sacred. There was a special presentation for those of us graduating that went into the details of this important phase of our lives. Apparently when one entered this phase, time would seemingly stop for that person for roughly 20 years (that sort of explains the seemingly eternal 10 year old Ash Ketchum) and they would only continue to age normally after this phase. I was completely gobsmacked by this revelation.
It was the common belief of the people of this world that this phase in a person's life signified a time for the individual to go out and explore the vast and beautiful world before coming back and settling down into regular careers. This again raised countless questions in my mind about this world where humanity and nature had come to an amazing harmony. With the average life expectancy of a person being around 120 years (excluding the 20 year stagnant phase) there were no issues with some family members dying before becoming a grandparent. Anyway we were all registered to become trainers and would be able to set off on our journey towards the end of the summer. Many of my friends were already gearing up and busy stocking up on supplies as well as searching for suitable Pokémon to make their first, there were even a couple of crazies that had signed up for those wacky Pokémon Tech Schools. *shivers* I'm glad not to be going there.
"*mutter* *grumble* I still don't understand why you're having us delay with our shopping for our Pokémon trainer journey, just yesterday Betty was showing off her new Bag to me and it really irked me a lot."- Heart complains as we stop by at the edges of a stream.
"I already told you, you can make your purchases but Soul and I are gonna wait just a little more. Just don't whine later when our stuff is better."- I reply back to her.
"*humph* you still won't tell me what all this is about, where would you get better quality equipment? Even if what you say is true its not like we are short on money or anything, we can still buy them later."- Heart continues to whine; something she said is true though, thanks to the Odd Shop & Cafe all the kids in town had more than sufficient funds and could afford some of the really high quality pieces of gear without feeling a pinch to their wallets.
"Just tell her the plan already or I will, I can't take this whining anymore."- Soul covers his ears and moves a little farther away from Heart's nagging.
"You.."- Heart is about to start an argument with Soul but I rush to cut her off-"Alright, you want to know why I'm still delaying, I'll tell you. Listen, did you know that foreign envoys from another region will be coming to Goldenrod city next month to put on an exhibition?"- I decide to tell her some of the information I'd obtained from my conversations with Nurse Joy.
"So what does that have to do with us putting off our shopping?" – Heart questions further.
"*sigh* look these events held by envoys from different regions only occur once every 5 years and there is always a big fair and market held each time. You'd be able to find many new amazing Items and gear native to that region and in addition many other regular equipment would be sold at special discounted prices. It'd be the best time and place for us to stock up."- I explain.
"Really, a fair organised by people from a different region! So cool, hey which region are they coming from, tell me tell me."- Heart's eyes start to sparkle and she begins to pester me for more information.
"Its the Hoenn region that will be hosting the event this time around. I'm sure its going to be great."- I reply back. All this was actually still kept under wraps and the official announcement wouldn't be made for another two weeks, the only reason I was even able to find out about this so early was because lately I'd been helping around at the Pokémon center a lot. My grooming technique was quite famous in town right now and I also wanted to further study Pokémon medicine and health care so I was a big help to Nurse Joy, so through her connections I was able to obtain all sorts of exclusive news and information.
"Alright, enough with your chatter you two, Sage don't give us any more information and ruin our surprise. Now let's get cracking and collect more wood, if I'm not wrong our Azalea town Charcoal has quite a good reputation even in other regions so we need to increase production for the upcoming exhibition trade fair."- Soul interrupts our conversation and tells us to focus on our task at hand.
By the end of the day we've collected quite a haul and are now rushing back home, the considerable load of lumber does not hinder our movement at all now as we streak through the forest with our Auras circulating around us. With two years of constant practise even Heart and Soul can manifest their Auras externally now, Heart has a dazzling crimson Aura where as Soul's Aura is a soothing azure blue.
We spend the rest of the days counting down the time before our trip to Goldenrod city by working extra hard at the cafe to save some more money in the last minute as well as helping Dad and even Kurt in stocking up on Charcoal and Apricorn Poke balls to send over to the trade fair. Soon the first day of the fair had come and gone but we were still in town, Heart was getting very impatient.
"Its already the second day since the fair began but we're still here."- Heart was complaining.
"Calm down we need to wait for the caravan to finish preparations so we can't just leave when we want to. It'll take at least three more days for everyone to finish preparations, just wait a little longer the fair will continue for three weeks anyway."- Soul tries to stop her whining.
We're in the forest again today with Charlie and Charlotte circling around us in the air as we proceed deeper into the woods, Poki can't keep up with our speed anymore so he's in his Poke ball. We were approaching one of the few main roads traversing the Ilex forest when we heard the loud sound of a vehicle passing through. We all slow down and wait for the vehicle to pass this section before getting down from our perch in the trees and making our way to the other side of the road and continuing our journey. A jeep soon comes into our view and as we look on we are really surprised by the occupants. The two occupants of the jeep, the driver and the one riding shotgun were both wearing half masks to cover their face and seem to be dressed in thick black jumpsuits complete with white gloves, there was a big maroon 'R' symbol on their chest. I instantly recognize who they are, well I might not know their individual identities but it was easy to tell they were part of Team Rocket and judging by their rash and speedy driving and the constant vigilance to the road behind them I could guess they were making a getaway after a crime.
"We have to stop those guys, now."- Surprisingly it was Soul who first came to and it seemed like he knew they were crooks too.
"What's going on? Who are those guys?"- Heart enquires with a confused look.
"They are part of a large criminal organisation called Team Rocket that's involved in the theft and smuggling of Pokémon and precious goods. It looks like they have something in the back of their jeep; we have to stop them fast."- I briefly explain to Heart, after noticing some box like items covered by a thick cloth in the back of the jeep.
Soul gives me a brief surprised look as I was able to identify them but didn't question me further right now as we had more pressing things to do.
"Let's drop a couple trees into their path. Heart get Poki out we're gonna need all the help we can get."- Soul comes up with a quick plan.
We ask Charlie and Charlotte to cut down a couple of trees down ahead and block the road while we wait, the three of us hide in the bushes nearby with Poki ready to mount an ambush as soon as they step out of the vehicle. Sure enough those Team Rocket goons come to a screeching halt before the fallen trees and we hear them grumbling as they get off the jeep.
"We finally throw those meddlesome patrols off completely only to be delayed by this road block."- The Driver complains.
"Quit whining and quickly clear the path, the rest of the gang should be in position outside Azalea town by now."- Said the other as they both called out a Machop to push the trees off the road.
Just as the Machop were pushing the trees, Heart had Poki use Psychic on one of them while Soul had Charlotte use Arial Ace on the other. I simultaneously had Charlie use Sand Attack on the two Rocket members and before they could recover Soul and I had tackled them to the ground. First blinded with sand and then suffering a sudden blow they become momentarily stunned, we don't waste any time and use the rope we always carry to bind the cut wood blocks to tie them up quickly.
"What the..."-Before they even know what happened we've already completely restrained them. Soul and I search them to confiscate all their Poke balls and check for anything else they could use to escape while Heart goes to the back of the jeep and pulls down the cover over the cargo they were carrying.
"Come quickly and help me out here."- Heart calls out to us. We leave Charlie and Charlotte to watch over our captives in case they try anything funny before heading over to check what they had stolen.
There were two medium sized crates about 1x2x3 feet big stacked on top of each other on the side, but that wasn't what caught most of our attention. Our attention was mostly drawn to the large metal cage occupying most of the space in the back and its three prisoners. There were three small Pokémon imprisoned in the cage and by the looks of things were quite badly injured, they were also paralysed to top it off.
"Quick we need to help them."- Heart calls out as she tries to pull at the bars with all her strength as the Pokémon look on weakly. Even with all her strength the cage seems to be too much for Heart, I remember seeing a key on the Team Rocket members while we were searching them before so I rush back to retrieve it.
We soon unlock the cage door and as we try to gently take out the Pokémon out, they struggle in fear and one of them even seems to be glaring at us fiercely. I'm sure if it were not paralysed and able to move more freely it would definitely attack us.
"What Pokémon are these? I've never seen ones like these even in the library picture books."- Heart asks as she examines the small orange and yellow Pokémon in her hands as well as the blue and orange one in Soul's and the green and red one in mine.
"They're not from around here. These Pokémon are native to the Hoenn region, in fact they are the region starters there."- I say as I try to gently lay the struggling and glaring Treecko in my hands on a soft patch of grass and start the treatment.
"Looks like our friends back there hit the foreign envoy's exhibition in Goldenrod city and were trying to make a getaway through the Ilex forest to lose their pursuers."- Soul accesses the situation as he also lays the Mudkip he has down and starts treatment.
"Those vile criminals look what they've done to them. Its all right now relax, we're going to hurt you we're here to help heal you."- Heart says as she soothingly starts work on the Torchic who seems the most injured and exhausted as it can barely make a few weak chirps.
We pull out all the medicines we have on hand and quickly get to work. Torchic is the most cooperative mostly because its the most tired and Treecko is the most wild as it seems to be highly distrustful of our intentions, in fact as soon as some of the treatment has taken effect it swiftly swipes its tail to smack my hands. It then proceeded to 'rescue' Mudkip and Torchic from our clutches as it attacked Soul and Heart subsequently.
We were all so surprised when Treecko shoved us back one at time and pulled the other two towards the forest that we were momentarily frozen in place. They did not get far as Torchic fell down from its severe injuries and we soon rushed to them. Heart would not give up on treating her patient and after a few more gentle persuasions from us and our Pokémon Treecko finally seemed to relent to receiving our help. With their injuries addressed and their tummies filled with some of the Berries we had they seemed to be in the mood to doze off from exhaustion, even Treecko was nodding off a bit although it tried its best to stay awake while Mudkip was already laying on the grass and snoozing and Torchic had much to Heart's delight curled up on her lap in content.
We decide to wait a while as we interrogate our Team Rocket captives and obtain any more leads we can on their plans. The rest period doubles as giving the injured Pokémon time for some peaceful sleep and also waiting to check if the pursuing police patrols originally chasing the two miscreants would catch up on their trail and get here to assist us.
The two Rocket members are very tight lipped and don't seem to be willing to share any information even after an hour has elapsed and their pursuers are also nowhere in sight, looks like they've completely evaded them. The three of us started discussing off to the side about how to proceed; if it would be better to wait for the patrol some more or escort the two Rocket members and all their stolen goods back to town to hand over to Officer Jenny along with taking the injured Pokémon to the Pokémon center and having Nurse Joy have a look at them.
"*humph* You twerps are from Azalea town right? You better enjoy your victory now cause by the time you get back your homes might not be in one piece."- One of the goons scoffs at us. I remember them talking about their gang camped outside Azalea town and start to panic, I rush over to him and roughly shake him by the collar and demand what meant but he says no more. With that threat we decide to head back immediately so we each carry one of the Injured Pokémon in our arms as Charlie and Charlotte fly in a tight circle around our captives as we frog march them back towards town, we don't forget their other loot as well as Soul and I each tie a crate securely to our backs before heading out.